Method of and apparatus for casting metal ingots



June 24, 1930. H. A. DEUEL 1,767,055

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING METAL INGOTS Filed March 3, 1928 lll ll I I g I 1| I INVENTOR Harry fifleuel ATTORNEY of the mold strikes the surface of the metal Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PA TENT O FFICE HARRY A. DEUEL, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING METAL INGOTS Application filed March 3,

it carries air beneath the surface, and the occluded gases are released due to reduction in temperature of the metal. The air and gas bubbles are carried with the metal to the side walls of the mold and when the metal is chilled thereby, the bubbles are trapped in the vicinity of the surface of the in t.

%he cooling of the metal adjacent the mold wall further releases the occluded gases which are added to those referred to, resulting in a layer of metal near the surface of the ingot which contains innumerable bubbles. ,When the ingot is rolled to form a bloom or slab, the bubbles remain near the surface thereof and cause seams on or near the surface which remain in the bar or sheet rolle'd from the bloom or slab; respectively, with the result that the surface thereof is rough and of seamy structure. The metaloids such as carbon, manganese, sulphur, etc., have a tendency to move toward the center of the ingot, the central portion being the last to cool, and therefore they are concentrated near the central zones of the ingot. This segregation of the met aloids causes a non-uniform distribution of the metaloids and consequently the steel .of the in ot is not uniform in structure or strengti.

An object of my invention is to produce a method of casting ingots wherein the en-- trained air bubbles and the occluded gases are prevented from coming in contact with the side walls of the mold or accumulating in the vicinit of the side walls thereof.

Another 0 ject of my invention is to 1928. Serial No. 258,798.

produce a process of castin ingots wherein segregation of the metaloi s is arrested if not entirely prevented and wherein the dis-, tribution of the metaloids is substantially uniform throughout the mass of the ingot from top to bottom and from side to side. Another object of my invention is to ro duce an ingot mold that may be'poured rom the top and which will produce an ingot practically free of bubbles and in which the metaloids are uniformly distributed.

Anotherobject of my invention is to produce an ingot mold wherein the molten steel is maintained under static pressure while the metal is cooling and in which piping of the metal near the top of the ingot is eliminated. 7.

Another object of my invention is to r0- duce an ingot mold wherein the yiel of. usable steel is increased and wherein the quality thereof is superior to that produced in the usually employed mold.

These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout the further description of myinvention are attained by means of the process and mold hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through an ingot mold embodying features of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the mold shown in Fig. 1 and taken on the line 11-11 thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the ingot mold comprises a metal base or stool 3'upon which an ingot mold casing 4 is detachably mounted. The mold casing is open at its lower end to permit removal of the ingot and maybe provided with an integral cover. 5 having a central openingfi for receiving a pouring and -metal cooling tube 7 thatv rests u on the stool 3 and extends exteriorly o the mold casing as indicated in Fi 1. Y The tube 7 may be made of steel having substantially the same composition as the metal being poured into the mold, and scrap tubing may be used to advantage, thereby eliminating the necessity of melting the scrap tubing produced in the manufacture of steel tubing.

The tube 7 is split longitudinally near the lower end and a portion thereof 1s pressed inwardly to provide a vent 8 which dis= charges the molten metal, teemed into the upper end of the tube from the ladle 9, in a tangential direction, thereby causing the metal to be given a swirling motion as it enters the mold casing.

The thickness of the walls of the tube 7 is such that the tube remains in-tact until the casing and tube are filled with metal.

1 The tube subsequently gradually fuses and becomes an integral part-of the in ct.

In order to cast an ingot, the 11101 casing 4 is placed upon the stood 3 and the pouring tube 7 is inserted through the opemng 6 in the top of the mold casing and centered by wooden wedges 11 which permits the escape of air from the casing during the pouring operation.

The gate of the ladle 9 is then opened and a stream 12 of molten metal is directed into the tube 7 The metal first strikes the stool as it is discharged rom the tube the metal in the mold is continually moved along the cool mold walls and will not solidify during the pouring operation. Thus the temperature of the metal is maintained substantially uniform throughout its mass while the ingot is being poured. Since the air bubbles and substantially all of the occluded gases are freed within the tube 7, the mass of metal within the mold is practically free of bubbles, and consequently there is no accumulation thereof near the surface of the ingot.

"When the mold is filled andmetal begins flowing past the wedges 11, the metal is 10- cally chilled at that point by pouring water on the top of the mold, thus sealing the opening. The tube 7 is then filled and the metal in the tube above the mold maintains a static pressure on the metal within the mold. At this time, the portion of the tube 7 within the mold gradually fuses and becomes an integral part of the ingot.

As the ingot cools and shrinks, the molten metal in the upper end of the tube flows into the mold and keeps it filled. The metal in the upper end of the tube may be heated with Thermit or by means of a gas demo or by churning with a metal rod. The usual piping of the ingot adjacent the top due to closed my invention as applied to a mold having an integral top rovided with a circular opening, a type 0 mold known in the art as a bottletop mold, but it will be understood that my invention is applicable to standard molds or any mold of the open top type. Where such molds are employed, the metal is poured into the mold until the level reaches almost to the top. The surface of the metal between the mold walls and the tube 7 is then chilled by pouring water thereon to solidify the surface metal and to thereby seal the top of the mold for the purpose hereinbefore described.

By reason of my improved process of casting ingots, the ingots are substantiall free of bubbles and the metaloids arr uni ormly distributed throughout the ingot. The yield of good steel is increased and the steel is of superior quality. Scrap tubing is thus recovered without remelting in a furnace and the cost of production is reduced.

While I have illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An ingot mold comprising a mold casing having an opening in its upper end and a tubular member closing the opening and extending longitudinally of the casing from a point adjacent the bottom of the mold to a point exterior of the upper end of the casing for receiving molten metal and for discharging it adjacent the bottom of the mold, the said tubular member being of sufficient mass to remain intact and dischar e the metal adjacent the bottom of the mold until the mold casing and tubular me ber have been completely filled with m lten metal.

2. An ingot mold comprising a mold casing having an opening in its upper end and a tubular member closing the opening and extendinglongitudinally of the casing from a point adjacent the bottom of the mold to a point exterior of the upper end of the casmg for receiving molten metal and for discharging it adjacent the bottom of the mold, the said tubular member having means near its lower end for discharging the metal in a tangential direction .to cause a swirling motion of the metal as it flows into'the mold casing. a

3. An ingot mold comprising a mold casing and a tubular member Within the easing extending longitudinally of thecasing substantially throughout its length for re ceiving molten metal and having means for discharging it adjacent the bottom of the mold in a tangential direction to cause a swirling motion of the metal as it flows into the mold casing.

4. An ingot mold comprising a mold casing and. a tubular member within the casing extending longitudinally of the casing substantially throughout its length for receiving molten metal and discharging it adjacent the bottom of the mold, the said tubular member being provided at its lower end with an opening arranged for discharging the molten metal into the casing in a tangential direction to cause a swirling motion of the metal as it enters the mold casing.

5. An ingot mold comprising a stool, a

metal mold casing for resting upon, the

stool and having an .open bottom and a top provided with an opening, a tubular charging member extending through and closing the opening. in the top and having its outer end extending above the top exteriorly thereof and its lower end provided with a vent arranged for discharging the 'molten metal poured into the upper end of the tube in a tangential direction for imparting a 10. The process of casting ingots -in,a mold which-consists in placing a charging tube within the mold having a metal containing portion extending above the mold,

in filling the mold with molten metal inside and outside of the tube to a level near the top of the mold, in chilling the surface of the metal outside of the tube to solidify the surface metal and to thereby seal the to of the mold, and in pouring molten metal into in filling the mold with molten metal inside and outside of the tube to;a level near the top of the mold, in chilling the surface of the metal outside of the tube to solidify the surface metal and to thereby seal the top of the mold, in pouring molten metal into the tube until the level thereof is above that of the metal in the mold outside of the tube, and in maintaining the metal in the upper end of the tube in a molten state until the metal in the mold has solidified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24 day of February, 1928. T

- HARRY A. DEDEL.

swirling movement to the metal as it enters the mold casing.

6. The process of casting ingots in a mold which consists in placing a tube within the mold, pouring molten metal into the tube and in discharging the metal from the tube adjacent the bottomof the tube in. a tangential direction for causing swirling of I the metal as it entErs the mold.

castingvingots in a mold 7. The process 0 which consists in pouring molten metal into the mold and in imparting-a swirlin motion to the metal as it enters the mold.

1 8. The process of casting ingots in a mold I which consists in pouring molten metal into the mold and in imparting a swirling motion-to the metal within the mold as the mold is being filled.

9. The process of casting ingots in a closed mold which consists in placing a charging tube within the mold having a metal containing portion extending above the mold and in pouring metal into the tube {until the level of the molten metal in the tube is above that in the mold when the mold is filled, whereby the metal in the mold is maintained under pressure while the metal in the mold cools. 

